So You're Thinking about Going to Seminary

So You're Thinking about Going to Seminary
Author: Derek Cooper
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2008
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781587432149

An experienced seminarian offers an engaging, insightful, and user-friendly guidebook for those thinking about attending seminary.

The Imperfect Pastor

The Imperfect Pastor
Author: Zack Eswine
Publisher: Crossway
Total Pages: 177
Release: 2015-09-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1433549360

Pastors aren’t superheroes—they have fears and limitations just like everyone else. Zack Eswine knows this from personal experience and has a wealth of wisdom to offer those who feel like they don’t measure up. Written in a compelling memoir style, The Imperfect Pastor is full of insightful stories and theological truths that show how God works unexpectedly through flawed people. By talking honestly about the failure, burnout, pain, and complexities that come along with church ministry, Eswine helps pastors accept their human limitations and experience the freedom of trusting God’s plan for their church and life.

A Little Book for New Theologians

A Little Book for New Theologians
Author: Kelly M. Kapic
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Total Pages: 127
Release: 2012-07-05
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0830866701

In this quick and vibrant little book, Kelly Kapic presents the nature, method and manners of theological study for newcomers to the field. He emphasizes that theology is more than a school of thought about God, but an endeavor that affects who we are. "Theology is about life," writes Kapic. "It is not a conversation our souls can afford to avoid."

Brothers, We are Not Professionals

Brothers, We are Not Professionals
Author: John Piper
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2013
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1433678829

John Piper pleads with fellow pastors to abandon the professionalization of the pastorate and pursue the prophetic call of the Bible for radical ministry.

The Call to Ministry

The Call to Ministry
Author: R. Albert Mohler
Publisher:
Total Pages: 126
Release: 2013-10-01
Genre: Clergy
ISBN: 9780615901039

This is a different sort of book. Or workbook. Or journal. Whatever it is, this resource from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is meant to help you discern whether or not God has called you to ministry. And it's meant for you to use and devour. You'll notice pages with blank space; those pages are for you to respond to questions, react to the quotations and reflect on the Scripture references you'll find throughout. So, open your Bible, get out your pen and discover whether God has called you to this most noble and weighty task.

Am I Called? (Foreword by Matt Chandler)

Am I Called? (Foreword by Matt Chandler)
Author: Dave Harvey
Publisher: Crossway
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2012-03-31
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1433527510

Many men have the skills to lead a church, but only some are called. Dave Harvey helps men considering pastoral ministry to see God's active role in the process of discerning their calling. God's Word offers a clear framework for evaluating one's call, especially within the context of community. Harvey offers six diagnostic questions to help prospective pastors process their calling, and what they should be doing now if they aren't sure. Illustrated with personal and historical stories, Harvey explores biblical and practical principles for determining the pastoral call. Over the past twenty-four years of ministry, Harvey has enjoyed assisting many men in discerning whether they are called into ministry. This book will guide you through that all-important process with wisdom and confidence in God's faithfulness in your life.

How to Stay Christian in Seminary

How to Stay Christian in Seminary
Author: David Mathis
Publisher: Crossway
Total Pages: 82
Release: 2014-01-31
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1433540339

Seminary is dangerous. Really dangerous. The hard truth is that many seminarians enter pastoral ministry feeling drained, disillusioned, and dissatisfied. But the problem isn't with the faculty or the material. Rather, the most perilous danger to the soul of the pastor-in-training is the sin residing deep within his own heart. Drawing on their years of pastoral ministry and seminary experience, David Mathis and Jonathan Parnell take a refreshingly honest look at this oft-neglected—yet all too common—experience, offering real-world advice for students eager to survive seminary with their faith intact. In seven short but challenging chapters, the authors remind readers of the foundational role of the gospel in the life of ministry, equipping them with the keys to grow in their faith while making the most of their education.

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert
Author: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield
Publisher:
Total Pages: 191
Release: 2014
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781884527821

"Rosaria, by the standards of many, was living a very good life. She had a tenured position at a large university in a field for which she cared deeply. She owned two homes with her partner, in which they provided hospitality to students and activists that were looking to make a difference in the world. In the community, Rosaria was involved in volunteer work. At the university, she was a respected advisor of students and her department's curriculum. And then, in her late 30s, Rosaria encountered something that turned her world upside down -- the idea that Christianity, a religion that she had regarded as problematic and sometimes downright damaging, might be right about who God was. That idea seemed to fly in the face of the people and causes that she most loved. What follows is a story of what she describes as a train wreck at the hand of the supernatural. These are her secret thoughts about those events, written as only a reflective English professor could."--Back cover.

Hannah's Child

Hannah's Child
Author: Stanley Hauerwas
Publisher: SCM Press
Total Pages: 305
Release: 2013-02-11
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0334047854

In 2001 Stanley Hauerwas was voted 'America's best theologian' by "Time Magazine". Here are Hauerwas' long-awaited memoirs. A loving, hard-working, godly couple has long been denied a family of their own. Finally, the wife makes a deal with God: if he blesses her with a child, she will dedicate that child to God's service. The result of that prayer was the birth of an influential - some say prophetic - voice. Surprisingly, this is not the biblical story of Samuel but the account of Stanley Hauerwas, one of today's leading theologians in the church and the academy. The story of Hauerwas' journey into Christian discipleship is captivating and inspiring. With genuine humility, he describes his intellectual struggles with faith, how he has dealt with the reality of marriage to a mentally ill partner, and the gift of friendships that have influenced his character. Throughout the narrative shines Hauerwas' conviction that the tale of his life is worth telling only because of the greater Christian story providing foundation and direction for his own.

Now That I'm Called

Now That I'm Called
Author: Kristen Padilla
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 200
Release: 2018-06-12
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310532191

As a woman in the church, it's difficult to know what it means to say "I'm called to ministry." Whether you have been wrestling with that calling for years or are just starting to ask what it means, Now That I'm Called will provide you with guidance and direction on your journey. Perhaps you are feeling the Holy Spirit leading you toward vocational ministry but are unsure of what that means or if you are hearing the voice of the Lord correctly. This book will help you answer these questions and serve as a guide as you walk down this new and unfamiliar path. Author Kristen Padilla answers questions like: What does the Bible say about ministerial calling? Can I, as a woman, be called to gospel ministry? What is the difference between spiritual gifts and ministerial roles within the church? Is there value in obtaining a theological education? Should I go to a Bible college, seminary, or divinity school, and what is the difference between these three? What is the value in having a ministerial mentor and doing internships? What if I feel called to ministry but do not know what type of ministry? Each chapter ends with further questions, exercises, assignments, and stories of real women doing vocational ministry. This is a book that will prepare you for a lifetime of vocational service to God. You will walk away with a biblical understanding of ministerial calling and a robust view of women in gospel ministry, as well as practical tools to help you pursue God's call for your life. X